RWC 2007: Japan and Georgia qualify

November 29, 2006

I made the easy prediction (scroll down) many months ago that Japan would be booked as the 5th entrant in Pool B of the 2007 World Cup --

POOL B

Australia
Wales
Fiji
Americas 2: CANADA
Asia 1 (presumably JAPAN)

-- and this past weekend we got a confirmation after Japan defeated Korea 54-0 in the Asia final.

Japan will start their sixth RWC campaign against Australia in Lyon on 8 September, followed by matches against Fiji, Wales and Canada. Korea, runners-up in Asia, will return to the battlefield against Tonga in the RWC Repechage early next year.

Georgia also qualifies:

In Lisbon, Portugal improved from their display in Tblissi to draw 11-11 with Georgia, however the Georgians' 14-point lead from that first leg books their World Cup place as Europe 3 (pool D).

Portugal now go on to play Morocco over two legs for the right to take on Uruguay for the other repechage qualifying place.

Japan has appeared at every RWC since the inaugural tournament in 1987. This is Georgia's second berth (2003).